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Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
#2383 02/20/10 01:58 AM
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Steve C Offline OP
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Mt. Whitney Lottery Progress Reports
Latest first, oldest last...

Quote:
As of Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Today's mail has the end of the lottery letters going out.

The only applications that have not been responded to are the ones with problems of some sort.  The most common problem holding up these results letters is incorrect credit card information.  We have started contacting those people by email and phone, for the 100 or so remaining applications.


Quote:
As of Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The calendar of available space went onto the website today, so people can begin looking at what is available on line.

Hundreds of letters are going into the mail this week. (2000 letters in the last 2 days) The last of the unsuccessful letters are going to the post office on April 1. The last of the successful letters should be going in the mail the rest of this week, and on Monday April 5.

I will write again when the last letter is mailed. Everyone should get their results letter by April 15th. We still cannot search for individual results while the final fee collection transactions are being completed.


Quote:
As of Thursday, March 25, 2010

We finished the reservation making phase of the lottery this afternoon, now the big box is empty!

Coming to mail boxes soon:
4034 good news letters
2844 no luck this time.

Tomorrow we will all turn to working on the outgoing mail. We expect to send out hundreds of letters in Friday and Saturday's mail. The unsuccessful letters will all be mailed as quick as we can put them into envelopes.
The charge card machine will be running non stop to get the successful letters going out as quickly as possible. It may take another week to get all the letters mailed.


Quote:
As of Thursday, March 18, 2010

Batches of letters are going out, and most people should get letters in the next several weeks.

We sent out about 600 letters so far this week, with many more to go out tomorrow.  There are a lot of successful letters in a back log at the work station that completes the collection of the fees, both credit card and paid by check.

The unsuccessful letters are going out faster, as they only need to be put into an envelope.

Out of the 7,370 applications we received, we have about 2,800 to go.
(62% completed)


Quote:
As of March 4, 2010

Processing of the 2010 Mt. Whitney lottery is not quite half way done; we still have 4928 applications to go!
  • 7168  Applications received so far
  •   285  Applications sent back for corrections or additional information
  • 6727  Applications accepted into the lottery box
  • 1799  Reservations made; some are pending payment processing
  •   858  successful letters mailed
  •   142  unsuccessful letters mailed



Quote:
As of February 19, 2010 processing of the 2010 Mt. Whitney lottery has begun!

The first of the Letters will be mailed soon, so people should be receiving their lottery results in March or April.

Please note we cannot search for, change, intercept or report on the status of your individual application at this time.

After the last lottery application is pulled out and processed, the calendar will be updated to show what dates still have space left.

When can you apply for the left over dates?

You can apply by phone, fax or mail starting on the dates below.

  • Wednesday, April 21st for trips that start in May, June, or July
  • Wednesday, April 28th for trips that start in August, or later

We appreciate people not interrupting so we can complete the lottery work as quickly as possible.

We'll be happy to answer your questions, after April 1st

------------------------------
| 5135 applications have been |
| accepted into the lottery |
------------------------------
|
-----------------------------------------------
The box | How we do it |
is this--> | |
full | Applications are put into a big box |
| ...and stirred into random order |
| |
| February 16, we begin making reservations |
| from applications drawn at random. |
| Late arrivals are added to the box each day. |
| |
| As each application is drawn, a reservation |
| is made if quota space is still available for |
| the entry date and group size you requested |
| |
| Expect notification of results by mail |
| ...after April 1. |
-----------------------------------------------

Thanks from all the staff,
Wilderness Permit Reservations


Edit:  The Lottery Application 2010 thread is  here. 

Edit #2:  For a look at how they process the applications, see this thread:
    Look who has her hand in the cookie jar...

Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Steve C #2410 02/22/10 11:30 PM
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Here is a summary of the 2009 Lottery progress:

3/2/2009
Number of applications received: 5,854.

3/11/2009
 5,983 Total applications sent to the lottery
    315 Number rejected (Sent back with the option of the correcting and resubmitting)
    131 Number of unsuccessful (no space left for requested dates and group size)
 1,985 Number successful (reservations allocated)
 3,552 still to process.

3/22/2009
First "so sorry" notice received by a member

3/27/2009
Application processing completed (charging cc, cashing checks, mailing notices not complete)
6023 applications received
3638 reservations / 2043 unsuccessful (64% successful)

Charging credit cards & mailing success notices begins (takes more than a week)

4/1 - 4/3/2009
Many credit card charges and mail notices reported.

4/8/2009
Updated web page showing slots still open: Mt. Whitney Trail Reservation Availability

4/9/2009
Still sending out letters.
All unsuccessful letters have been sent.
Still several hundred charge cards to run
Now calling people who have had their charge cards changed, to get the new credit card number.

Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Steve C #2738 03/04/10 02:42 PM
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The Inyo National Forest staff reports:

Quote:

Mt. Whitney Lottery Progress Report

As of March 4, 2010


Processing of the 2010 Mt. Whitney lottery is not quite half way done; we still have 4928 applications to go!
  • 7168  Applications received so far
  •   285  Applications sent back for corrections or additional information
  • 6727  Applications accepted into the lottery box
  • 1799  Reservations made; some are pending payment processing
  •   858  successful letters mailed
  •   142  unsuccessful letters mailed


Also reported:  There are still a few over nights left mid week in July and August, Day use is full on Fridays and weekends in July and August. June weekends are almost gone.



More info:

    The Lottery Application 2010 thread is  here. 

    For a look at how they process the applications, see this thread:    Look who has her hand in the cookie jar...
 

Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Steve C #2871 03/08/10 08:41 PM
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Wow any new news since the 4th, I'm getting worried


Mt. Whitney has been on my Bucket list since I was 13 years old, I am now 52 and so ready to put some lipstick on this pig
Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Bret #2873 03/08/10 09:13 PM
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It's still early in the month yet. Even though both good and bad news trickles out steadily throughout March, it seems that more of the bulk of the final notices go out at the end of the month, and actually, mostly in the very first few days of April. So hang in there.

CaT


If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracle of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it.
- Lyndon Johnson, on signing the Wilderness Act into law (1964)
Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
CaT #2888 03/09/10 05:22 PM
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Thanks Cat feel a little better now


Mt. Whitney has been on my Bucket list since I was 13 years old, I am now 52 and so ready to put some lipstick on this pig
Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Bret #2889 03/09/10 07:44 PM
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Bret, You need to remove this one from your list this year....it is your GOAL and you can acheive it. Check out the people on this site. It's not just climbers and ultra hikers, but regular guys and gals. I can name three right off the bat who made Whitney a goal after cancer. I not only had cancer 4 years back, but had a total hip replacement in late October of '08. Less than 12 months later, I summited Whitney. It took me two times, but after I didn't make it the first time, I summited San Jacinto twice and then Whitney in one month. Not bad for a guy who was 52 at the time. Make your goal and pick a date. I does not have to be the date you tried to get in the lottery. I didn't get my lottery dates last year, but just choose a date and went. Call the Inyo Forest Service staff a few days before you go and they will tell you how many openings there are. The day I summited Whitney, there were over 90 open spots. All but a few filled the day before our hike.
Whitney is there, it's waiting and you can push yourself to the top. It takes effort and most of all, will power. Take your time, take a friend and have a super time. Let us know when you are going and we will root for you. Then whether you made it or not, give us a report.
Best of luck!


"Turtles, Frogs & other Environmental Sculpture"

www.quillansculpturegallery.com
twitter: @josephquillan

If less is more, imagine how much more, more is -Frasier
Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
quillansculpture #2893 03/09/10 08:24 PM
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Bret, not sure if you have seen it yet, but check out the Unused Whitney Permits for 2009, and you can see for yourself how many Whitney permits go unused. And those numbers are from the END of the day. There are many no-shows and cancellations each day, and those are given out to people who show up and ask ...free!

The cancellations come available as people call in. The no-shows are made available for day hikers at 2 PM the day before the hike. Overnight no-shows come available at 11 AM for entry the current day.

We will be creating a 2010 unused permits page this year as well.

Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Bret #2899 03/10/10 09:16 AM
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Bret,

The only reason someone cannot get up the MMWT in a given year is a lack of trying.

I have never entered the lottery for this trail but I have been up it but mostly down it a bunch.

The last time up it was 7/22/08, I walked in the ESIVC asked for and received a MMWT backpacking permit for that day. I was on the trail before noon. When I go in for other permits, I usually ask if there are MMWT permits available...the answer has always been yes.

Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
wbtravis #2903 03/10/10 10:49 AM
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The last time I used the lottery to get a permit was at least 6 years ago. Since then, I have always been able to walk in and get what I want, and I come from Ohio.

CaT


If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracle of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it.
- Lyndon Johnson, on signing the Wilderness Act into law (1964)
Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Steve C #3037 03/17/10 11:35 AM
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Any "new" news on the lottery progress since 3/4/10? I was expecting to see a flood of "I got mine's" by this time.


Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest. -- Mark Twain
Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
JeffB #3039 03/17/10 12:59 PM
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Originally Posted By: JeffB
...I was expecting to see a flood of "I got mine's" by this time...

Things should start up around March 29, 2010. CLIP AND SAVE!

Right now, I want my REI dividend to come in the mail next week!

WOO HOO!!!

Have fun


Journey well...
Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
JeffB #3053 03/17/10 10:23 PM
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My credit card was charged by Inyo for $30.00 on Saturday smile. I saw the charges Monday morning. I'm hoping to see the letter tomorrow or Friday. I basically asked for a 5 day overnight for anything from mid July to early September. As soon as I know the dates I'm hoping to combine it with a stay in Yosemite. Good luck Jeff

P.S.
Steve C usually has the best info on lottery progress.

Last edited by JimC; 03/17/10 10:24 PM.
Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
JimC #3055 03/17/10 11:45 PM
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I'll see if I can get a report soon.

Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Steve C #3064 03/18/10 11:38 AM
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Thanks Steve!


Always do right - this will gratify some and astonish the rest. -- Mark Twain
Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Steve C #3071 03/18/10 05:23 PM
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The Inyo National Forest staff reports:

Quote:

Mt. Whitney Lottery Progress Report

As of Thursday, March 18, 2010


Batches of letters are going out, and most people should get letters in the next several weeks.

We sent out about 600 letters so far this week, with many more to go out tomorrow.  There are a lot of successful letters in a back log at the work station that completes the collection of the fees, both credit card and paid by check.

The unsuccessful letters are going out faster, as they only need to be put into an envelope.

Out of the 7,370 applications we received, we have about 2,800 to go.
(62% completed)


Note that as the slots fill up, it will take less and less time to process each request, since mailing a "No slots available" letter doesn't take as much time as entering the reservation into their system.

Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Steve C #3073 03/18/10 08:14 PM
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Thanks Steve for the quick update. Helps calm the nerves of us living in the rat race.

Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Steve C #3078 03/19/10 07:12 AM
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This thread would make a good historical reference thread for future years.

CaT


If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them more than the miracle of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it.
- Lyndon Johnson, on signing the Wilderness Act into law (1964)
Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
Steve C #3088 03/19/10 01:33 PM
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Got my acceptance yesterday for 15 spots in August! Psyched!

Re: Whitney Lottery Progress 2010
matt_sargent #3094 03/19/10 03:15 PM
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Wow - 15 spots is the largest group size permitted! Congratulations.

Did you request overnight or day hike permits?

With a group that size, I hope the organizing and coordinating goes well. And most definitely, please post again and report on the trip!


EDIT: 2011 Lottery Progress thread is HERE.

Last edited by Steve C; 03/29/11 07:53 PM.
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